Optical instrument, binoculars, eyecup structure, method for moving eyecup member

Abstract

An optical instrument including: an optical system which forms a target object image; a magnification changer which changes a magnification of the target object image; an eyecup member; and an eyecup driver which causes the eyecup member to move in association with alteration of the magnification of the target object image made by the magnification changer.

1 . An optical instrument comprising:
 an optical system which forms a target object image;   a magnification changer which changes a magnification of the target object image;   an eyecup member that is movable along an optical axis direction of the optical system; and   an eyecup driver which causes the eyecup member to move in the optical axis direction in association with alteration of the magnification of the target object image made by the magnification changer.   
     
     
         2 . The optical instrument according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the magnification changer changes the magnification of the target object image by causing the optical system to move.   
     
     
         3 . The optical instrument according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the optical system is composed of a plurality of optical lenses, and the magnification changer changes the magnification of the target object image by causing at least one of the plurality of optical lenses to move in an optical axis direction of the optical system.   
     
     
         4 . The optical instrument according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the plurality of optical lenses includes at least one of an eyepiece lens and a relay lens.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The optical instrument according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the eyecup driver causes the eyecup member to move so as to correspond to an eye relief length determined by the magnification changed by the magnification changer.   
     
     
         7 . The optical instrument according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the magnification changer has an operation member capable of rotating about an optical axis to change the magnification of the target object image, and   wherein the eyecup driver has an operation converter which converts a rotating action of the operation member into a linear action which causes the eyecup member to move in the optical axis direction.   
     
     
         8 . The optical instrument according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the magnification changer has: the operation member to change the magnification of the target object image; and a first rotation-linear motion converter which causes at least one of the plurality of optical lenses to move in the optical axis direction, by means of rotation of the operation member about the optical axis direction, and   wherein the eyecup driver has a second rotation-linear motion converter which causes the eyecup member to move in the optical axis direction by means of rotation of the operation member.   
     
     
         9 . The optical instrument according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the first rotation-linear motion converter has:
 a fixed lens barrel including a first restricting groove parallel with the optical axis direction; 
 a guiding ring which is arranged inside the fixed lens barrel and rotates together with the operation member, and which includes a first guiding groove; and 
 a ring-shaped lens holder which holds the optical lens and is arranged inside the guiding ring, and which includes a first operation pin penetrating through the first guiding groove and inserted into the first restricting groove, and 
   wherein rotation of the guiding ring about the optical axis relative to the fixed lens barrel causes the lens holder to move in the optical axis direction, while the first operation pin is guided by the first guiding groove and the first restricting groove.   
     
     
         10 . The optical instrument according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the second rotation-linear motion converter has:
 a second restricting groove provided in the fixed lens barrel in parallel with the optical axis direction; 
 a second guiding groove provided on the guiding ring; and 
 a second operation pin which is provided in the eyecup member and which penetrates through the second restricting groove and is inserted into the second guiding groove, and 
   wherein rotation of the guiding ring relative to the fixed lens barrel causes the eyecup member to move in the optical axis direction, while the second operation pin is guided by the second guiding groove and the second restricting groove.   
     
     
         11 . The optical instrument according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the first restricting groove and the second restricting groove are provided in the fixed lens barrel as one continuous restricting groove in parallel with the optical axis direction.   
     
     
         12 . The optical instrument according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the first guiding groove and the second guiding groove have different shapes.   
     
     
         13 . The optical instrument according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the second guiding groove includes a linear guiding groove formed in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.   
     
     
         14 . The optical instrument according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the operation member, in the fixed lens barrel, has a third operation pin which penetrates through a third restricting groove provided in a circumferential direction about the optical axis direction, and which is fixed to the guiding ring, and   wherein, within a range of the third restricting groove guiding the third operation pin, the guiding ring can rotate relative to the fixed lens barrel.   
     
     
         15 . The optical instrument according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the eyecup member includes an inner cylindrical body and an outer cylindrical body which can move relative to each other in the optical axis direction.   
     
     
         16 . The optical instrument according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the inner cylindrical body and the outer cylindrical body are screwed-coupled.   
     
     
         17 . A set of binoculars comprising
 a first lens barrel and a second lens barrel which are connected to each other via a coupler and which each include an optical system which forms a target object image, a magnification changer which changes a magnification of the target object image by the movement of the optical system, an eyecup member, and an eyecup driver which causes the eyecup member to move in association with alteration of the magnification of the target object image made by the magnification changer,   wherein at least one of the magnification changers each provided in the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel has an operation member capable of rotating about an optical axis to change the magnification of the target object image, and   wherein the binoculars have a connector which causes the eyecup members of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel to move while interlocking with each other, on the basis of an operation of changing the magnification of the target object image.   
     
     
         18 . The binoculars according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the connector is connected to the magnification changer in each of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel.   
     
     
         19 . The binoculars according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the magnification changer has a first rotation-linear motion converter which causes the optical system to move in the optical axis direction, by means of rotation of the operation member about the optical axis direction,   wherein the eyecup driver has a second rotation-linear motion converter which causes the eyecup member to move in the optical axis direction by means of rotation of the operation member,   wherein the first rotation-linear motion converter has:
 a fixed lens barrel; 
 a guiding ring which is arranged inside the fixed lens barrel and rotates together with the operation member; and 
 an optical system holder which holds the optical system and is arranged inside the guiding ring, 
   wherein the connector is connected to the guiding ring in each of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel, and   wherein rotation of the guiding ring about the optical axis direction relative to the fixed lens barrel causes the optical system holder in each of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel to move in the optical axis direction, and causes the eyecup members of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel to move in the optical axis direction while interlocking with each other.   
     
     
         20 . The binoculars according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the connector is a metal connector formed in a string or strip shape, and   wherein both of lengthwise ends of the connector are respectively wound along and fixed on the outer circumference of the guiding ring of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel.   
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . An optical instrument comprising:
 an optical system which forms a target object image;   a changer which changes a position of the optical system by moving the optical system along an optical axis direction of the optical system;   an eyecup member; and   an eyecup driver which causes the eyecup member to move in the optical axis direction in association with the position, changed by the changer, of the optical system in the optical axis direction.